Packing-case



0 Model.)

A. FLTEMPLE.

PACKING CASE.

Patented Apr. 12

Z w 3/ m w J m m 7 U u u I 1 I ngrmphur Washington, '04 (1* liquid andhold them.

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

aser. F.TEMPLE, or MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

PACK!NG\-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,195, dated April12,1887.

Application filed February 23, 1887. Serial No. 2-28.633. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANsEL F. TEMPLE, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing-Cases; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference'being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which-form a part of this specification. s r

This invention relates,primarily, to theclass of vessels orpackage-holders designed for the protection of liquids or otherarticles-during transmission through the mails, although it mayevidently be used for other purposes,if desired. The rules of thePost-Office Department require these package-holders, when theircontents are not liquid, to be formed of wood or metal,with aslidiugclasp or screw-lid, and

when liquids are to be transported they must be placed in'a glass ormetallic holderinclosed in an outer case of wood or papier-mach, closedwith a tightly-fitting screw-lid provided with an internal packing ofrubber to secure a tight joint and prevent leakage in case of thebreaking of the bottle or other vessel containing the The object of myinvention is, therefore, to form a package-holder that shall meet allthese requirements, and at the same time be useful to the general publicfor various other purposes, among which may be enumerated the receptionof small articles of hardware, such as twist-drills, taps, needles,small files, dental and surgical instruments, and other small articlesliable to damage from rust when exposed in the ordinary manner, butwhich may be packed in these cases and placed upon the shelves in thatcondition for sale, the wood case with itsimpermeable lining affordingperfect protection against the air or moisture, and they are alwaysready to be sent to customers through the mails without furtherpreparation.

Other articles of merchandise may be packed in these cases and kept instock ready for transmission to customers in the same manner, such as'water-gage glasses, medicines, sewing-machine oils, and many otherarticles. They also furnish grocers and other dealers with a convenientmeans for sending samples of flour, tea, coffee, and the like throughthe mails.

The invention consists, essentially, in a cylindrical tubular case ofwood closed at one end and made impermeable to liquids by an internalcoating of india-rubber or its equivalent, said case being provided atits open end with ascrew-cap of metal,the screw-thread of which is soconstructed that the cap shall form its own thread upon the wood of thecase as it is screwed thereon, a gasket or washer of rubber beingplacediu the top to form a tight j oint, and, further,in a metallic caseof peculiar construction to contain vials of liquids and hold themalwaysin contact with the cap, the whole arranged as will be hereinafterfull y described, and then specifically stated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 isa longitudinal section through the case complete with a vial inclosedtherein. Fig. 2 is a similar section with the screw-cap removed, showingthe action of the cushioning-springs upon which the vial rests. Fig. 3is aperspective view of the inner metallic case sometimes used tocontain the vials of liquid. Fig. 4 is a perspective view in section ofthe metallic screw-cap. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the capcomplete. Fig. 6'shows a double casein perspective intended for thereception of a screw-cap at. each end and having a portion of thewoodleft to form a bottom for both receptacles. Fig. 7 shows a case withthree receptacles to be closed by a single cover. Fig. 8 is a side viewof one of the gaskets used to form a joint between the cover and end ofthe case. Fig. 9 is a similar view of an annulus used to suspend orprevent the inclosed vial from coming in contact with the metal case,and Fig. 10 shows a vial prepared for insertion into the case.

In carrying out my invention, I take cylinders of wood, A, of anydesired length and diameter, bore them out from one end to form thereceptacle, and leaving suiiicient material at the other end for asubstantial bottom. The open end is then preferably reduced in diameter,as at a, to form a seat for the screw-cap B. This reduction, however, isnot absolutely necessary, as the caps may be made to go over the end ofthe cylinder without any reduction 'of the latter, if desired. Thisscrew-cap B is of metal, and is formed withan interrupted screwthread,as c c, by compressing the cap in suitable dies during the process offorming the same. It will be seen that the thread thus formed upon thecap is the male thread, the female thread being formed upon the end ofthe wooden cylinder by the male threads of the cap in the act ofscrewing the cap upon said cylinder, the wood being compressed by themetallic screw-threads of the cap in the line of said threads. Theirinterrupted position allows the cap to be readily started and make itsway over the end of the cylinder without the application of any greatforce. It will be seen that as no thread is previously out upon the endof the wooden cylinder, the thread formed by the cap will surely be aperfect fit, and not likely tolcak, and, further, that should theiuclosed bottle be broken, the expansion of the wood within the cap willcontinually increase, thus tightening thejoint between said cap and thecylinder. It will also be observed that the closed end of the cap, as atc, is depressed, thus forming an annular recess in its bottom, whichreceives the end of the cylinder and insures a tight joint, whether arubber gasket, as e, is interposed between them or not. The gasket,however, being required by the rules 01' the Iost-Office Department, issupplied to all packages intended for transmission through the mails.

In order to make the wood composing the cylinder impermeable to liquids,I coat the same upon the inside with a solution of caoutchoue, whichfills the pores of the wood and is unaffected by any acids, exceptsulphurous acid, which only hardens or vulcanizes it, without detractingfrom its effectiveness as a pro teetion against infiltration. Heretoforepan affine has been generally used as a lining for wooden vessels, buthas been found objectionable, as it is affected by many liquids, as wellas various other substances.

\Vhen it is desired to use extra precaution, I place within the woodencase a metallic tube, 0, which is formed by winding a small wire arounda core or former, having the shape of the interior of said casc-nan1ely,a plain cylinder with a conical end, as shown in the perspective view ofthe same in Fig.8 of the drawings. The wires of which this case 0isi'ormed are wound close, and the adjacent coils united by dipping thecase into melted solder, which firmly unites them,thus forming a strongcylindrical case, open at one end and with a conical bottom at theother. This wire case is made of the proper diameter to slip easily intothe receptacle in the wooden case A, and is provided with thespirally-coiled conical wire spring (I. This spring is placed iuthebottom of the tube 0, filling its cone and projecting in its expandedcondition upward into the cylindrical part, and forms the seat uponwhich the bottom of the vial D rests, its compressibility allowing vialsof different lengths to be inserted in the tube 0, and at the same timekeep their necks at the same point with relation to the mouth of thetube. This spring d also acts as a cushion to prevent the force of blowsto which the case may be subjected from breaking the iuclosed vial. Ifdesired, rubber bands, as e 0, may be placed around the vial, near itsbottom and top, and after in- 'serting the vial into the case a washer,c, of rubber or other suitable material, having an opening in itscenter, may be placed over the cork, its periphery comingin contact withthe internal surface of the outer case, so as to keep said vialsuspended between said washer and the eushion-spring and out of directcontact with the metallic case, or the inner walls of the wooden case,when the use of the metallic case is dispensed with, thus rendering italmost impossible to break the vial unless the package meets with suchan accident as to crush it wholly.

It will be evident that the wire case forholding the vial containing theliquids or other matter for transmission may in certain cases bedispensed with, the eushioning-springs being placed directly on thebottom of the wooden case and the vial provided with the elasticencircling bands seated directly thereon. By this arrangement the costof the inner case is avoided; but in order to comply with the rules ofthe' Post-Oliice Department it is necessary to use it when matters of apeculiarly destructive nature are to be mailed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

1. As an improvement in packing-cases, a cylindrical-bottomed tube ofwood, in combination with a metallic cap or cover provided with aninterrupted screw-thread adapted to form its own thread upon the tubewhen screwed upon the latter, substantially as set forth.

2. As animprovementin packing-cases, the cap B, provided with aninterrupted screwthread and having its top depressed, as at e,

to form a channel for the reception of a gasket and compress the end ofthe wooden case to which it is applied, as specified.

- 3. As an improvementin packing-cases, the cylindrical and conicalended wire case adapted to receive avial and protect the same intransmission through the mails, substantial] y as set forth.

4. As an improvement in packing-cases, the rubber-lined cylinder A, incombination with the metallic screw-cap B, the metallic inner case, andcushioning-springs, all arranged and operating substantially asspecified.

5. As an improvement in packing-cases, the annular washer surroundingthe cork of the vial and the elastic bands surrounding said vial, incombination with the cushioningspring, outer ease, and screw-cap adaptedto secure the vial and prevent breakage. substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my si guatn re in presence of twowitnesses.

ANSEL F. TEMPLE.

XVitnesses:

M. '1. E. CHANDLER, ROBERT F. MORRIS.

